Last for boots, shoes, and the like



4, 1921. SHEET I.

W. A. WILSON.v l LAST FOR BOOTS, SHOES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. e. 1920.

,Patented I 2 SHEE INI/ENTOR;

APPLICATION FILED MAR.. B. I920.

Patented Jan. 4,1921'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

0W ,if @am UNITED STATES WILFRID AMBROSE WILSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LAST FOR BOOTS, SHOES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 4:, 1921.

Application filed. March 8, 1920. Serial No. 364,230.

To all whom t may, cof/wem Be it known that I, WILFRID AMBRosE WILSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at London,

England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Lasts for Boots, Shoes, and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in lasts for boots, shoes and the like, and has for its object the construction of a last which can be easily and quickly adjusted to take boots, shoes and other footwearrvarying in size and shape, while at the same time rendering it possible to construct such articles to the correct shape or fit or to effect the repair of such articles without alteration in the shape or fitting thereof. A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby footwear having very high heels, such for instance as ladies boots and shoes as worn for theatrical purposes may be repaired without alteration in the exact itting qualities peculiar to such footwear.

According to the general principle of my invention, the device is constructed in such a way that the length of the last may be adjusted to suit any size of footwear, w-hile means are also provided, if necessary, for elevating the back or heel portion to accommodate footwear having heels of varying height.

In carrying out the invention, the various parts thereof are made preferably of metal, but may be of any other material, if desired. The foot or sole portion is formed with or has attached thereto a vertical member, slotted longitudinally to receive oneend .of a bar or beam, by which said sole portion is connected to the heel portion. The bar or beam is preferably rectangular in cross section and is threaded on its narrower sides for the major portion of its length to receive a correspondingly screwed ring. The forward end of the bar is provided with a lug or other suitable means by which it is attached to the slotted member of the sole portion being secured thereto by a preferably screwed pin passing through one of a series of holes in the sides ofsaid member and the longitudinal bar. The heel or rear portion of the last is provided with a plain cored hole for the reception of the threaded bar, said hole being preferably lined with lead or other material to protect the threaded portion of the rod against injury.

The upper face of the heel portion is formed with a recess to receive the shank of the casting or other fitting on which the last is supported when in use. This fitting may comprise the usual base to be secured to a bench, or table or it may be formed with a suitable shield or curved plate adapted to enable the whole device 'to be supported on the knees of the user.

The front or sole portion of the last is provided with a series of holes along each side and preferably at the top to receive pads or studs for stretchin g purposes, where corns or bunions occur. The rear of the heel portion is also provided with suitably shaped pack slips or heel pins for insertion, when desired, between the heel portion of the last and the boot or shoe.

In order that my said invention may be more readily understood reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of a last constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the heel portion of the device.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the heel portion mounted on a supporting fitting.

Fig. 4 is a section through the bar or beam connecting the sole plate to the heel portion of the last.

Fig. 5 is a view of the screwed pin serving to secure the screwed bar to the sole portion.

Fig. 6 is one of the pads for attachment to the sole portion.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the packing strips for insertion between the back of the heel portion and the boot or the like.

The last is constructed of a sole portion a and a heel portion b connected by a bar or blade c. The blade c is preferably rectangular in cross section and its narrower sides c1 are threaded for the major portion of the length of the bar to receive a correspondingly threaded screw nut (l. rIlhe rear end of the bar is adapted to project into a longitudinal cored hole c in the heel portion o said holebeing preferably lined on its upper and lower faces with sheets f of lead or other suitable material to protect the threaded portion of the rod c against injury. The locking nut d is of such size as to bear against the inner face of the heel piece b, as shown in Fig. 1.

One or both of the flat sides of the blade c are formed with suitable markings such as shown at c3 in Fig. l which are cast with the blades or engraved thereon. These markings are preferably adapted to coperate with the outer face d2 of the locking nut l and serve to enable the last to be easily and quickly adjusted to any given size.

The forward end of the bar c projects into a slotted vertical member g formed in one piece with or separately attached to the sole portion a. This member is provided with-a series of holes g1 extending through its opposite sides; said holes on one or both sides being threaded to receive the pin or plug g (Fig. 5) while the end of the bar c is formed with a lug or the like c2 having a perforation therein through which the pin g passes. The upper face of the heel portion b is provided with a suitable recess b1 to receive the shank of a supporting fitting in the usual maner. Two forms of fitting for this purpose are shown in the drawings. In the construction shown at Fig. l, the fitting i is provided with a curved plate or shield if; serving to enable the same to be supported on the knees of the user, while the fitting Z shown in Fig. 3 is formed with a base Z1 adapted to be screwed or otherwise secured to a bench or table.

The sides, and if necessary the top of the sole portion of the last is provided with a series of holes or recesses m to receive pads or plugs m (Fig. 6) in order to serve as stretches where the boot or the like has to be shaped to accurately and comfortably fit the foot, for instance where corns or bunions occur. These pads are formed with a shank portion m2 forming a close fit in the recesses m and may be of such size and shape, as is required.

When it is desired to widen the last on the inside or outside or to convert a straight into a right or left foot fitting, any of the holes m would be plugged, if desired and one or more strips of leather of the desired thickness nailed or otherwise secured in position thereon.

In cases where it is desired to use the last for making new boots or other footwear, the sole portion and heel portion are connected by one of a series of removable waist pieces, one of which is shown at o Fig. l. These may be of metal or other suitable material and may be made of any suitable shape to accurately fit between the members a and the last being normally provided with a number of these waist pieces to be used according to the height of heel on the footwear to be made or repaired on the last,

or according to the length to which the last is adjusted. Each of the members o is provided with one or more dowels o1 at each end adapted to enter corresponding dovetailed slots extending longitudinally of the last in the under surface of the sole and heel portions a and respectively.

Then it is desired to stretch aboot or shoe down the back part of the heel or for the ankle mouth to be enlarged, as is frequently the case, packing strips or heel pins of leather or the like shown at p and g in Figs. 7 and 8 respectively, are provided. These strips, which may be of any convenient shape, are inserted between the rear surface of the heel portion b of the last and the boot or shoe. The nut Z would then be turned to press the heel portion Z) up tight against the strip ya or g and the back of the shoe.

For all ordinary purposes the last would comprise the sole portion a., the heel portion b, the threaded bar c and the locking nut d, the elevating member g being only required for footwear having unusually high heels, for instance of over one inch in height. For work upon footwear of silk or satin or other delicate material, the portions t and Z) may be made of wood and the members c and g, of metal, the latter being screwed or otherwise secured to the sole portion a in any usual manner.

The threaded nut lis preferably formed in any suitable manner to enable its being rotated when the last lhas been inserted in the boot or shoe, for instance, its periphery may be provided with a series of radially disposed holes Z1 to receive a suitable tool.

The heel portion is preferably provided with the usual last hook or seat file hole r and is cored out at s for the sake of lightness. Y

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America'iszl. A last for boots, shoes and the like, comprising in combination a sole portion, a threaded bar, means for connecting one end of said threaded bar to saidsole portion at varying heights from the base thereof, a heel portion freely slidable on the opposite end of said threaded bar, and .anut on said bar adapted to be rotatedto adjust the heel portion vlongitudinally -of the sole portion substantially as described.

2. A last for boots, shoes, and the like comprising in combination, a sole portion, a metal bar of rectangular cross section threaded on opposite sides, means for connecting one end of said bar to the sole portion at varying heights from the base there of, a heel portion, having a rectangular hole extending through said yheel portion into which the free end of said-bar projects, and

a threaded nut engaging the threaded bar and adapted to be rota-ted to adjust the heel portion with regard to said sole portion, for the purposes described.

3. A last for boots, shoes and the like, comprising in combination, a sole portion, a fitting extending vertically from the upper surface thereof and vprovided with a centrally vertically disposed slot, perforations` in the sides of said fitting on each side of said slot, a longitudinal bar threaded over the major portion of its length, a perforation in one end of said bar, a pin adapted to pass through the perforations in said fitting and said bar, a heel portion formed with a cored hole therethrough to receive the free end of said bar, and a threaded ring adapted to engage the threaded surface of said bar, to be adjusted by rotation longitudinally thereof and to support said heel portion at any adjusted position relatively to the sole portion, for the purposes described.

et. A last for boots, shoes and the like, comprising in combination a sole portion, a threaded bar adapted to be connected at one end to said sole portion at varying heights from the base thereof, a heel portion having a recess therein into which the opposite end of said bar projects, a threaded nut in said bar adapted to be rotated to adjust the position of said heel portion with relation to said sole portion, and removable waist pieces adapted to be slidably supported between the lower inner edges of said sole and heel portions, for the purposes described.

5. A last for boots, shoes and the like, comprising in combination a sole portion, a threaded bar adapted to be connected at one end to said sole portion at varying heights from the base thereof, a heel portion having a recess therein into which the opposite end of said bar projects, a threaded nut on said bar adapted to be rotated to adjust the posiH tion of said heel portion with relation to said sole portion, and removable waist pieces between said sole and heel portions and connected slidably thereto by dovetailed joints, for the purposes described.

6. In a last for boots, shoes and the like, the combination of a sole portion, a longitudinal threaded bar detachably connected at one end to said sole portion, said bar being of substantially rectangular cross-section and threaded on its narrow sides over the major portion of the length thereof, a heel portion formed with a rectangular recess eX- tending therethrough into which the opposite end of said bar projects, a lining of lsoft metallic material in said recess, a threaded nut on said bar vengaging the threaded narrow sides thereof and adapted to engage the inner face of said heel portion and support the same at any adjusted position with relation to said sole portion, and markings in the form of a scale on the flat sides of said bar cooperating with one side of said nut to enable the last to be set to any size of footwear, for the purposes described.

In witness whereof I aiiix my signature.`

WILFRID AMBROSE WILSON. 

